Henri - 31

 

"He's sort of waking up," Calvin said when Henri and the others entered the room with the cages.

 

Henri went over to the one holding the shifter, while Ransom shoved Upton into the one holding their other prisoner.

 

The wolf opened his eyes to stare fearfully at Henri.

 

"It's all right," Henri said. "We're friends."

 

"In fact," Taegan said, kneeling beside Henri, "we're more than friends. We're like you."

 

Miranda joined them, asking, "Are you…? Can you shift yet?"

 

The wolf sat up shakily, his head cocked to one side as if considering Miranda's question. Slowly, he nodded, then a man sat where the wolf had been seconds earlier. "How…?" His voice was rusty from disuse.

 

"Let's get you out of here then we'll explain," Henri said, getting to his feet to go search the pockets of the dead men. He came back with a set of keys, one of which unlocked the cage. The man crawled out and, with Henri and Taegan's help, walked to a chair by one of the cabinets.

 

Allyn had a lab coat by then, which he draped over the man, asking as he did, "What's your name?"

 

"Emil Lambert." He looked at Allyn, then the others, saying a prayerful, "Thank you for rescuing me."

 

"Our pleasure," Henri replied. Then, in answer to Emil's earlier, implied question, he told him what had happened.

 

"So, the bastard is dead. Thank God," Emil said when Henri was finished.

 

Ransom added with a tight smile, "Him and two of his men. Now we have to decide what to do with the other three."

 

"Three? Oh, yeah, the one in my bathroom. That's a good question." Henri looked at the others. "Any suggestions?"

 

Taegan chuckled. "If we knew a vampire…"

 

"We did, once," Ransom replied, giving Allyn a hug when he hissed in a breath. "Unfortunately—well, not unfortunately—he's ashes now."

 

"Sirs?" Emil said hesitantly. "I do."

 

Miranda looked at him in disbelief. "You're kidding."

 

"No, ma'am."

 

"Okay, back up a second," Miranda said. "I'm not 'ma'am'. I'm Miranda, and these are…" She proceeded to introduce everyone, including Jimmy and Calvin.

 

"Now, as you were saying," Taegan said when she finished, "You know a vampire?"

 

Emil nodded. "He's an old friend." He smiled slightly. "A very old friend, as in age. We live in the same building." Now he frowned. "He must wonder where I am. We usually have Sunday dinner together."

 

"Do you know how long you've been here?" Henri asked.

 

Emil grimaced. "It seems like forever but I doubt it's been more than two weeks."

 

"Three," the unnamed prisoner called out.

 

"Dear Lord, he must be frantic," Emil whispered.

 

::More than a friend, I wonder?:: Henri said to Taegan.

 

::Perhaps. Or a father figure. No clue of course.::

 

"Do you think your friend would be willing to wipe the memories of our captives?" Ransom asked Emil.

 

"Possibly," Emil replied. "I wish he could wipe mine. At least about what happened here."

 

Henri nodded. "I know what you mean."

 

Emil looked up at him. "You were Xavier's prisoner too, you said. How can you…? How do you deal with that?"

 

"I have good friends who've helped. I suspect, from what you've said, your friend will give you the support you need."

 

"I think maybe he will." Emil looked around the room, his glance landing on the door to the lab. "Can we get out of here?"

 

"You bet." Henri gave Emil a hand up, then helped him put on the lab coat, while Ransom and Taegan released their prisoners.

 

"Where will you go now?" Allyn asked Calvin and Jimmy.

 

"If I may make a suggestion," Miranda said before they could reply. "Come home with me. Someone needs to keep an eye on the two of you until we're certain the effects of the injections Xavier gave you have worn off. I think, between me and my husband, we can do that."

 

Henri bit back a laugh at the look of disappointment on Calvin's face when Miranda mentioned John, even though the man had already known she was married.

 

"Thank you," Jimmy replied sincerely. "I hope… I have nothing against shifters but to be honest, I'd rather not be one."

 

Taegan chuckled. "It's not really a bad thing, if you're born to it. But I can certainly understand how you feel."

 

"Give me your hands," Miranda said, holding out hers. They did, and instantly the three of them vanished.

 

Ransom and Taegan marched the prisoners out of the building, while Henri helped Emil, who was still very weak. Allyn brought up the rear, flicking off the light in the cage room before closing the door firmly behind him.